Former mayor supports raising amelioration tax

CEBU - Former Cebu City Mayor Florentino Solon is supporting the move of Councilors Hilario Davide III and Jose Daluz III to increase the city’s amelioration tax.

Solon expressed his support in his capacity as president of the Nutrition Center of the Philippines. In a letter to the City Council, Solon also urged the city to intensify the collection of amelioration tax so that enough funds would be available to support programs and social activities aimed at reducing child morality rates.

Davide and Daluz have proposed to increase to P10 the current P1 amelioration tax collected from every customer of motels, bars, clubs, massage parlors and gambling establishments in the city.

Records of the city treasurer’s office showed that the average annual collection of amelioration taxes in Cebu City is only P1.2 million because the city reportedly would not have any means to determine if the establishment owners are giving exact figures.

“Maghuwat ra man tawon ta kun pila ang ilang itug-an nga customers nga misulod sa ilang establishments. Kun magdistino usab ang City Hall og kawani, alkanse man sab,” an employee of the city treasurer’s office explained.

Daluz had said the amelioration tax is one source of funding various programs and services of the city, yet the same has reportedly not been maximized.

While he admired the city in its efforts to minimize the morality rate of children, Solon said more funds are necessary to sustain programs against malnutrition. — Rene U. Borromeo/JMO (THE FREEMAN)